Washington: The US Defence Department has told the Congress that it has approved the sale of logistics support worth $133 million to India for two Lockheed Martin Corp P-3C reconnaissance aircraft it plans to lease.
The Pentagon's Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said that the logistics support includes training devices, operations and maintenance training, as well as spare parts.
Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed would be the prime contractor, which DSCA said would help improve India's security, while at the same time strengthening the US-India strategic partnership.
Congress has 30 days to block the proposed sale, although such action is rare.
DSCA spokesman Jose Ibarra said that the notification did not include the lease of the actual Lockheed P-3C Orion aircraft and had no immediate details on that part of the deal.
The Pentagon said that the two leased P-3Cs would replace two existing Indian Navy patrol aircraft, Soviet-built IL-38 Mays, which were quickly reaching the end of their operational life.
Lockheed officials in February first announced the company was in talks to sell up to 12 P-3Cs to the Indian navy.
Pakistan, announced in August it had acquired eight P-3Cs from the US, which would help boost its naval capabilities.
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